Ok, so I work PT answering phones for a realty management company and have been for just under a year. My job falls under Human Resources so I have a pretty good relationship with them (or so I thought). Ever since I found out I was pregnant, I made it clear that I planned on coming back after my leave was up. Even though I am only PT, I technically qualify for FMLA due to the number of hours that I work and that I will have my 1 year anniversary before my maternity leave. However, nothing has been said to me about it- paperwork hasn't been sent to me to fill out for FMLA, no comments have been made, etc. I've emailed my boss about it a few times with no response.
I will be out for maternity leave in 2 months, yesterday DH and I decided exactly what those dates would be. I emailed my boss those dates and said I'd be flexible by a few days if need be. I know I can't be fired for being pregnant/maternity leave, but Alabama is an employment-at-will state, so I can be let go for no reason stated. I understand banking on someone PT to come back after having a baby can be risky when they can take the time to hire someone more permanent.
Any suggestions on how I can bring this up to get some answers? I've emailed my boss (the HR Director) multiple times to no avail and he is never around for me to discuss it in person . If they aren't going to let me come back, I want to know now rather than waste my maternity leave thinking I have a job. I should have no reason to think I won't have a job...they like me, I do my job well and they seem to appreciate that...but you never know.
Thanks mamas!

Sorry - I don't really have an answer for you, but I just wanted to say that I feel so bad for you to be stuck in this situation! How tough and frustrating that they won't respond to email AND that they aren't around for you to talk in person.

Could you call and leave a voicemail? My boss is more prone to answer people who call and leave a message with her and sometimes misses emails that she thinks she will "deal with later" (which, I know, is the opposite of a lot of people nowadays!) but maybe that would be another option to try and get some kind of answer from them.

Sounds too like you are trying your best to be flexible and work with them - too bad they cannot return the favor.

The company is kind of old school...there is only voicemail if no one is in the office to answer it. He has an assistant, but I'm not even going there...she is new and asks me for help routinely (although, she knows my plan as well). If I don't hear from him by the end of the week, I will call before 8 to see if I can reach his vm. For whatever reason, I only thought of leaving him one after 5 when he has left for the day, which I thought looked like I was avoiding him...pregnancy brain, you never know how/why thoughts run through your head